History can be a very boring subject at school if you take it at face value. It’s difficult to memorize names, dates and significant events! However, MMO gaming has taken history to a different level – the genre now simulates historical events like wars, to give people who are curious about how war might have progressed before a chance to see for themselves.

Here are three historically-based MMOs that you definitely will want to try for yourself.

Now, who hasn’t heard of World of Tanks? This tank MMO thrusts you right into the face of furious tank battles in the past and gives you command of your very own rolling piece of metal with a huge gun on top. Roll through lush European landscapes with your lightweight American Sherman tank, or devastate enemy tanks with your heavily armed Russian tank. World of Tanks gives you all of that, and more.

WoT, as it is abbreviated among its fans, features easy-to-learn controls that are smooth and very intuitive. The environment itself is designed to aid you in your tank battles. Shrubs, for example, can be used to hide your tank while you scan around for targets. Make sure to back off and leave after firing a shot, though – the enemy might just find you and destroy you!

All in all, WoT is a very immersive experience that should give you a taste of the adrenaline-pumping, greasy feel of tank battles in World War 2.

Another good historic MMO is Navy Field 2. This game puts you on the helm of a World War 2 era warship. In the beginning, it’s a destroyer in the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Navy but you could progress to other nations’ ships and ship classes. You could end up piloting a Bismarck battleship of the Third Reich, or Nazi Germany!

Navy Field 2 simulates the tension of sea battles in the old days, when opposing warships will roam through open water without the long-term warning of opponents that ships nowadays have. When you do get into contact with the enemy, then you slug it out through the old fashioned way of settling things between navies – broadside after broadside until the enemy ship sinks, or you fall.

Battles take place in the air, land and sea! The whole scope of military conflict is yours to experience with War Thunder. Take on your opponents in the air with the historic military aircraft of World War 2 and the Korean War, but also take them head on in both the land and sea. Hundreds of fighter and bomber planes are yours to choose from when you get on the helm in War Thunder.

For a more realistic experience, take on your opponents in the multiplayer mode. If you want to play by yourself, take on the solo campaign mode that will take you through the aerial, naval and land battles of WW2 and the conflict in Korea. There’s plenty of stuff in War Thunder to keep any war junkie occupied!

If you’re into history and would love to learn more about how war goes at those times, then keep these three games in mind.